Rhino Paoching does not stop

So far over 138 rhino have been poached in 2011 across the country and 82 successful arrests have been made.
On Saturday, 23 Apr 2011 SANParks rangers and members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), came across two groups of suspected poachers while on patrols in the various parts of the Kruger National Park. Three rhino carcasses were also discovered during these patrols.
One of the suspected poachers was fatally wounded, one wounded and arrested and the third arrested. Three firearms were recovered during the arrests.

The Kruger National Park is 10 km from Dreamfields Guesthouse.

Source: SANParks

Rhino Poaching does not stop

The Chief Executive Officer of South African National Parks (SANParks), Dr David Mabunda, announced that to date (2011) South Africa has lost 71 rhinos. 46 of them were killed in the Kruger National Park, only 10 km from Dreamfields Guesthouse.

“This figure encompasses fresh and old carcasses which have been found in the various parks and nature reserves countrywide,” said Mabunda.

In the same period, 64 suspected poachers have been arrested. In 2010 South Africa lost 333 rhinos and arrested 164 suspected poachers.

Rhino poaching: A bleak start to 2011 after a dark year

The Chief Executive Officer of South African National Parks (SANParks) announced that in 2010 South Africa lost 333 rhino with 162 suspected poachers having been arrested in relation to the crime.
“The year 2010 will always be remembered as being one of the worst years for conservation in the Republic of South Africa because of the ruthless assault on our rhino populations by merciless criminals”. The worst hit area was the Kruger National Park, only 10 km from Dreamfields Guesthouse, with 146 rhino lost.
In the first 10 days of 2011 the country has lost five rhino already! The same amount of poachers have died when Rangers acted in self-defence after poachers opened fire on them at Crocodile Bridge and Pretoriuskop. The country would have preferred these suspected criminals to have their day in court and explain to the nation why they would commit such an unforgivable crime.

Not poachers – this time

A man from Pretoria, a keen photographer, spend a few days in the Kruger National Park and spotted a Rhino horn on the road close to Lower Sabie. Surely, in these times, he thought that there must be poachers around even though he saw marks and scratches on the road which could have been caused by a fight. He called the SAN Parks officials and they surveyed the surroundings and confirmed that the rhino had been in a fight. Eight of them stood about 500 metres from the road and the ranger noticed that one had a missing horn. That is a very unusual sighting, but the horn can become loose from the skull if the animal bumps its head continually.
Experience sightings like that yourself - the Kruger National Park is only 10 km from Dreamfields Guesthouse.
Source: Lowvelder

Rhino Poaching - News

A suspected rhino poacher who was discovered during a regular patrol on Wednesday has been killed by rangers at the Kruger National Park and another one was wounded.
On Thursday two Kruger National Park rangers were injured when they were hit by a rhino as they tried to arrest another group of poachers.
The poachers entered the Park from Mozambique.
Over 230 rhinos have been killed this year and almost 200 people arrested for poaching. Dreamfields Guesthouse hopes that the injured rangers will get well soon and have a lot of success in the future to stop this pointless killing.
Source: SANParks und News24

Stop rhino poaching!

With great sorrow we heart about the slaughtering of yet another five rhinos in South Africa over the weekend.
Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 22 is Rhino Day, a campaign spearheaded by the World Wildlife Fund and several partners to encourage the public to help support South Africa’s rhino warriors. The WWF is calling on all concerned citizens to dust off their vuvuzelas and make as much noise as possible at 13h00 to send a message to leaders that the time to take serious and effective action against rhino poaching is now.
To attend the World Rhino Day event like us via facebook, click here.

Rhino poaching

Did you know that 139 rhino - five black and 134 white rhino - had been poached on private land, provincial reserves and in the Kruger National Park between January 1 and July 16 this year? That make nearly 1 rhino per day – only to get the horns!
We support “Stop Rhino Poaching”, add your voice and register!

Kruger National Park: Four suspected rhino poachers arrested

On Saturday, 10 July 2010, rangers found a newly killed rhino carcass with horns already chopped off! The four suspected poachers were found immediately after; unfortunately the young rhino female could not be saved in time. The four suspects, who are all of Mozambican origin, camped in the park overnight. This happened near Manyeleti Dam, about 2 hours north-east of Dreamfields Guesthouse. Source: SANParks

One up for the Animals of Kruger

Two suspected poachers have been arrested and a third is believed to have been killed by a lion in the Kruger National Park (KNP) last week.

According to the two that were caught, they went into the park on the night of March 12 to set up snares to catch animals, they returned the following night to see if they caught anything. On their way back they came across some hippos, which charged them and they ran in different directions. Two of them got out of the park safely.
Rangers found a human skull in the Pretoriuskop section of the park on Saturday. It was believed the third man had been caught and eaten by a lion.

The two men were arrested in Mkhuhlu village, where they lived, near Hazyview. They were known and wanted by the police for poaching.

Source: News24

Kruger National Park: First Hand Experience of Poaching

Monday 24 August 09, Neil, owner of Dreamfields Guesthouse was witness to an unfortunate lion that had been caught in a poacher’s snare:

I arrived at a lion sighting to find that one of the 2 male lions had been caught around the neck in a snare and obviously struggled to brake free, tightening the wire noose so it cut into the lion’s neck. One of the Field guides at the sight had already notified the Kruger Park authorities and was on their way. (The injury was caused by illegal human activity and not nature so the authorities have an obligation to help). The vet arrived and darted the lion and then tracked it 150m into the bush where they found the sleeping beast. Unfortunately they were not able to carry the lion to the road and so asked for assistance from myself and the other guide present. We (7 of us) carried the sleeping giant to the road where the vet removed the snare and treated the wound. I was glad I could do my bit for conservation, and hopefully the lion will recover.
The lion was not the intended target but was unlucky to fall foul of a trap probably set for antelope or pig.

It is an unfortunate reality that poaching is still rife in the area, as fences are all too easily breached in order for poachers to operate.

Neil - Dreamfields Guesthouse